Knitting machine



Sept 23, 15947. o. FREGEOLLE 2,427,720

KNITTING' MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet Sept- 23, 1947 o. FREGEOLLE 2,427,720

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 SPt-231947 l o. FREGEOLLE 2,427,720

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG] Bmg@

sept. 23, 7947. o, FREGEOLLE 2,427,720

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb# 27, 1945 A 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [NVE/vrage.'

Patented Sept. 23, 1947 KNITTING MACHINE Oscar Fregeolle, Central Falls, R. I., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I.,- a corporation of Massachusetts l Application February 27, 1945, Serial No. `579,9

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful im- Drovement in knitting machines of the circular,

independent needle, type and particularly to machines adapted to carry outthe method of knitting described in U. S. Patent #2,360,668 in which at least one yarn is drawn over the backs of sinkers behind the nibs, instead of in their throats during rotary or reciprocatory knitting or both. The invention relates primarily to an improved sinker cam cap for knitting by the method mentioned above and particularly for plating a reciprocatorily knit instep. The invention also includes means for insuring that the knitted instep loops will be positioned at throat level at the-be,- ginning of the heel and toe, also means which insures that no sinker throat or nib will engage the instep yarn during the reciprocatory knitting of the heel or toe and means for retarding the beginning of the downward knitting motion ofA the needles with respect to the inward projection of the sinkers.

One form of the invention as applied to a Banner type machine is described herein and illustrated in the drawing oi which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the sinker cam cap;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same sinker cam Cal);

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of a sinker cam cap and sinkers and also showing diagrammatically the needle circle and auxiliary yarn feed;

Fig. 4 is a view of needles and sinkers to aid in explaining the operation of the sinkers by certain of the cams shown in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections through the sinker cam cap of Fig. 3 along the lines 5-5 and 6--6, respectively, and also showing a sinker and a needle;

Fig. 7 is a view of the needle operating cams at the auxiliary side of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View along the line 8-8 and of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9 and l0 are diagrammatic views of a sinker and needle illustrating the eiiect produced by certain of the cams in Fig. '7 and Figs. 1l and l2 are developed views showing ,2 v sired. The machine also has the usual main and auxiliary cam blocks and knitting cams.

The sinker cam cap I` of this invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Unlike the ordinary 4sinkercapit does not swing to position the sinker cams for knitting in each direction. Instead it is held in a fixed position by adjusting screws 2 and 3 adapted to make contact with'opposite sides of a suitable xed abutment 4. By means of screws 2 and 3 the cap can also be very accurately adjusted with respect to the needle cams. This sinker cam cap is suitable for rotary or reciprocatory knitting of the usual kinds but is particularly good for plating a reciprocatorily knit instep at the auxiliary side by the method described in copending application #549,15'7, filed vAugust l2, 1944, now Patent No. 2,402,744, in which both the body and plating yarns are drawn over the 'backs of the sinkers behind their nibs.

As will be seen from Fig. l the center sinker cam 5 on the auxiliary side is made as short as possible. This permits the sinkers to be moved in by cam Ii or 'I dependingupon the direction of knitting immediately after they have been drawn out'for transferring loops from their backs to their throats so asto be'placed as soon as possible in the proper position to receive the body and plating yarns over their backs. These yarns diagrammatically the paths followed by the sole and a correspondingly wider instep are demay be fed by a feed such as that diagrammatically illustrated at 8 in Figs. 1l and 12 positioned below the carrier ring so that the feeding angle is unusually low. It is necessary, therefore, to bring the sinkers in as far ahead of the knitting point as possible to insure that the nibs oi all of them will pass lbeneath both yarns. Since the sinkers must be out when the needles pass under the point of the center guard cam of the auxiliary knitting camsthe top of said center sinker cam would necessarily have the familiar long at shape if the sinker cam cap were permitted to swing in the customary manner. Because this sinker cam cap is fixed the extremely short center cam 5 is adequate since it can be positioned directly above the center guard cam referred to.

A xedsinker cam cap also makes it possible to position the' other sinker cams, such as casting off Vcams 9 and ID, symmetrically. This also applies to the sinker cams on the main side of the machine including center cam I I and casting oil cams I2 and I3.

The sinker cam cap shown in Fig. l is also provided von the main side with two opposed, pivoted opper cams III and I5. These also are symmetrically positioned with respect to center cam II. Flopper cam I4 is shown in its outward, in.

wise direction the positions of opper cams I 4 and I5 are reversed, flopper cam I4 being in and flopper cam I5 out. When in these positions ilopper cam I4 serves to hold the sinkers in while; f the needles are moving up the rear stitch cam I 'I. Since ilopper cam I5 in its inoperative position corresponding to that shown for opper cam I4 in Fig. 1, the usual casting off cam I3 can operate in the usual way. v

Nothing of this sort is required at the auxiliary side since the instep needles are raised while the sinkers are in and thereafter follow an intermittently descending path to the stitch cam under which they knit, i. e., cam I8 or I9 depending upon the direction ofv knitting. The path followed by the instep needles in clockwise knitting is shown at in Fig. 11. The reverse path is not shown but is similar and will be clear to those skilled in the art.

Although flopper cam I5 is operating while counter-clockwise knitting is in Yprogress at the auxiliary stitch cam only, it serves no essential purpose since the needles which are knitting do not go over the front stitch cam I6 of the main cam block as will :be seen from Fig. 12 in which., -the path followed by the needle butts during counter-clockwise rotary knitting is shown at 2 I. However, it does no harm and is in condition to operate when needed to assist when knitting is being done at the main stitch cams.

Flopper cams I4 and I5 and .casting off cams I2 and I3 are each about half as thick as usual so that the combined vertical thickness of each pair is equal to the thickness of an ordinary sinker cam. Flopper cam I4 is mounted above casting` oi cam I2 and fiopper cam I5 under casting off cam I3.

When knitting the heel and toe the leg or instep yarn, which is fed and knitted on the auxiliary side of the machine, is idle. Asis well known, the throw of the needle cylinder with reference to the auxiliary yarn feed is much greater in the clockwise direction than in the other. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, at the end of a clockwise knitting stroke the instep yarn 23, extending from yarn feed 8 t0 the instep needle 22 'which was the last to knit before reciprocatory knitting was begun, stretchesmore than half way around the needle circle whereas in counterclockwise knitting the instep yarn cuts directly across a much smaller arc of the needle circle as indicated at 23.

The distance between needle 22 and yarn feed 8 at the end of a clockwise stroke results in a very small angle of slope for instep yarn 23.. Therefore, if towards the end of such a clockwise stroke the sinkers'adjacent to and following -needle 22 were moved in in the usual way, those nearest to needle 22 would probably take yarn 23 in their throats but those a little further away;` 1

I5,- specifically fixed cam vI2 and'opper cam I5.

The other sinkers have long butts 26 as shown in Fig. 6 so that they are engagable by either cam of both of these pairs when in operating position.

`Consequently, since during clockwise knitting flopper cam I5 is out of action as heretofore described, the 4sinkers of group 24 will pass under cam I3 and will' not be moved in or otherwise affected by it or by cam I5.

Therefore, these sinkers cannot possibly cut or injure the instep yarn 23. Itis assumed that the yarn will be above the nibs of the sinkers following group 24 so that the remaining sinkers associated with the long butt instep'needles can be projected in the usual way by cam I3 without interfering with yarn'23. Therefore, as already stated, these sinkers are provided with butts 28 of a lengthA adequate to be engaged by any one of the cams I2, I4, I3 and I5. Of course, the number of short butt sinkers corresponding to group 24 is not necessarily eight but may be the number required to accomplish the described result.

Flopper cams I4 and I5 are operated by means of a ring 21 (Figs. 1, 2 and 7) frictionally mounted on the sinker head28 so that it will rotate with it as far as permitted. Such rotation is limited by screwsv 29and 3D in lugs 3I and 32 projecting from ring 21. A fixed abutment 33, shown here as a tubular member of the machine frame, limits the tendency ofring 2'I to rotate within the space between screws 29 and 30. These screws also serve as adjustments for determining the exact extent through which ring 2'I can swing.

Projecting upwardly from ring 2'I are two ngers 34 and 35 so positioned that iinger 34 'will engage the outer edge of -ilopperl cam I4 to swing the cam to its inward, operating position when a clockwise stroke is begun and ringer 35 will do likewise with opper cam I5 for counter-*clockwise strokes. However, asit will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2,' the inward swing of each of these Hopper cams is somewhat delayed because a considerable movement of fingers 34'and 35 is required to operate. them.. Asa result of this, the sinkers constituting group A24 will remain out long enough so that the difficulty already described is avoided. Flopper cams I4 and I5 are swung out whenA released by ngers 34 and 35, respectively, by leaf springs 36 and 3'I acting upon pins 38 and 39 projecting downwardly from the opper cams.

As already stated, the center sinker cam on the auxiliary side is Vpositioned directly above the center guard cam of the'knitting cams. Because of this another novel feature, which is also a partof this invention, is possible.

In Fig. 7 the. rear and front auxiliary knitting cams are indicated at vI9 and I8, respectively. 'I'he center guard cam 4II between them is mounted on a horizontal pivot. 4I in a bracket 42 (Fig. 8) so that itcan swing tothe left or right corresponding to the direction in which knitting is being done. The face of this camy opposite the needle cylinder isVV recessed as indicated at 43 so that when in operating position, during reciprocatoryA knitting, iten-velops xed-center'cam 4.4 so that this cam 44 is inoperative. When cam 40 is retracted to its inoperative position as shown in Fig. 8, center cam 44 is uncovered and able to operate.

By pivoting cam 40 so that it swings as above described the point at which the needles begin to descend in either direction of knitting is retarded. This is particularly useful when wrap patterns are being made since yit provides more time for bringing the eyelet, finger or other yarn feeding part of the wrapping mechanism back to the inside of the needle circle and also because it provides more time and space for the moving of the sinkers immediately after they have vpassed center sinker cam 5 so that their backs will be presented to the yarn. This will be made evident by Figs. 11 and 12. The variation from the regular needle paths when wrapping is indicated at 45 and 4E in these respective figures.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art and from U. S. patent referred to above, the last stroke of counter-clockwise knitting is completed before the machine reverses to begin the knitting of the heel or toe the instep yarn will have been drawn over the backs of the sinkers by the instep needles. A few of these needles will have passed by center sinker cam Il at the main side of the machine and the corresponding sinkers will have been drawn out so that the loops have been transferred from their backs over their nibs to their throats. The remaining instep needles have not reached the point of the needle circle corresponding to sinker cam Il so that the corresponding sinkers lwill not have been drawn out by that cam. Therefore, these sinkers remain in and the newly drawn instep loops remain on their backs. This condition persists during the following clockwise stroke until these needles and their associated sinkers reach center sinker cam 5 at the auxiliary side of the machine by which the sinkers are drawn out to transfer the loops on their backs to their throats.

Because sinker cam 5 is extremely short, the sinkers are moved in again immediately by either cam 6 or cam 1 and there may not be time for the transferred loops to work down the shanks of the needles to throat level. Therefore, these loops may remain above the nibs of the associated sinkers or may slip down only enough to :be struck by the nibs when they advance. To insure that these loops are denitely positioned at throat level before they can be interfered with or dam-Y position shown in Fig. 8. This, as already explained and as shown in that figure, uncovers `fixed center guard cam 44 and permits it to act upon the needle butts. The point 41 of center cam 44 is lower than the points of adjacent guard cams 48 and 49 so that the needles, after they pass under one or the other of these cams, will receive an additional limited downward movement by center cam 44. This will carry the loops referred to to the level of the sinker throats. The point of center guard cam 44 is in the same plane radially of the needle cylinder as the point of center sinker cam 5. Therefore, the withdrawing of sinkers and the drawing down of the needles occur simultaneously so that, when the sinkers are all the way out and their nibs wholly outside of the needle Shanks the loops will be all the Way down. In this way, the sinker loops referred'to are protected from damage at this time and properly positioned for subsequent casting olf when knitting at the auxiliary side is resumed.

The above is illustrated diagrammati-cally by Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 9 the sinker 50 has been pulled out and the sinker loop 5| transferred from its back over its nib. However, unless, the needle 52 is moved down the needle loop 53 and, consequently, the adjacent sinker loops 5l are likely to remain at the transfer height aS indcated at which they are not properly positioned either for safety of for casting off. In Fig. 10 the needle is assumed to have been moved down by center guard cam 44 as above described. It will be seen that the needle and sinker loop have moved with it and that the sinker loop is now resting at its proper height on the throat of .the

sinker.

After the loops referred to have been lowered in this Way during the rst reverse stroke of the machine at the beginning of the heel or toe they are not likely to rise again because the sinkers remain in practically continuously. However, center'cam 44 continues to function as above described throughout the knitting of the heel and toe and thereby insures that the loops remain properly positioned in case of some irregularityv in the action of the machine or of the fabric.

That the sinker cam cap of this invention is pe.. culiarly adapted for plating at the auxiliary knitting cams by the method Yin which the body and plating yarns are both drawn over the backs of the sinkers behind the nibs has already` been mentioned. 'Ihis is indicated in Figs. 11 and 12 the body yarn being shown at 23 and the plating yarn at 54 in these figures. Incidentally, the wrap yarn 55 is also shown in these figures and the deviation from the normal path taken by the needles selected for wrapping. As shown, the method of wrapping just described is limited to the knitting at the auxiliary knitting cams, any plating at the main side being done in the usual Way in the throats of the sinkers.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine provided with main and auxiliary knitting cams, a xed sinker cam cap having on the auxiliary side a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers which consist of two sides converging substantially to a point, a center sinker cam at the main side, two fixed vcasting off camssymmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said main center sinker cam and two opper cams also symmetrically positioned on opposite sidesv of said center sinker cam, one of said opper cams being below the corresponding casting off cam and the other above its corresponding casting oi cam.

2. In a knitting machine having main and auxiliary knitting cams and adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers'to knit at said auxiliary knitting cams a xed, sinker cam cap having a center sinker cam at the main side, two xed casting off cams symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said main center sinker cam and two flopper cams also symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said center sinker cam, one of said flopper cams being below the corresponding casting off cam and the other above its corresponding casting olf cam.

3. In a knitting machine having main and auxiliary knitting cams and adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers to knit at said auxiliary cams, a'fxed sinker cam cap having on the auxiliary side a. center sinkercam for.' drawing out. sinkers which consist Aof two similar sides converging substantially to a point, al center 'sinker cam at the main sidey two-fixed casting oi cams symmetrically positionedon P- posite sides of said maincenter sinker. cam and twovlopper cams also symmetrically positioned on opposite sides oi lsaid cam, center sinker cam, one oisaid 'iiopper cams being below the correspondingcasting off cam and theother above lits corresponding casting. off cam, a complement of needles dividedinto instep and'sole groups, a corresponding number of sinkers all having-'butts ofthe same length with the. exceptionof the iirst few sinkerst associated with the instep group of needlespreceding the last instep needle to knit prior to the rst course of the heel or toe, said few sinkers having shorter butts which are long enough to engage the lower'casting off and flopper cams but are too short to engage the upper casting off and opper cams;

4. In a knittingmachine having main and auxiliary knitting cams' and adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers to knit at .said auxiliary cams', a fixed sinker cam cap having off cams symmetrically positioned on opposite drawing out sinkers which consist of two similar sides converging substantially to a point, acenter sinkercam at the main side, two fixed casting oir cams symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said main center sinker cam and two `Hopper -cams also symmetrically positioned on .opposite sides -of said cam, center sinker cam,

oneA of said opper cams being below the corresponding casting'oicam and the other above its corresponding casting off cam, a complement of needles divided into instep and sole groups, a corresponding number of sinkers all having butts of the same length with the exception of the iirst 4iew sinkers associated with the instepgroup of needles adjacent the ylast instep needle to knit prior tothe first course of the heel or toe, said few sinkers having shorter butts* which are long enough to engage the lower casting-01T and flopper cams but are too short to engage the upper casting off and flopper cams.

5. Inaknittingmachine havin'g'main` and auxiliaryf'knitting cams and adapted to draw yone or more 'yarnsA over. .the backsfoffsinkers to knit at .said auxiliary cams, a iixed` sinker cam-cap having on` the auxiliary side a'center sinker cam for drawing out vsinkers which consist of-'two similar -sides converging substantiallyto a,-1;\oint, a cenlits corresponding casting oi cam, a cylinder having a: complement of needles divided into instep and sole groups the instep group including at. times some needles of the sole group,v av corresponding number of sinkers all having butts of the same length with vthe exception ofthey iirst -few sinkers associated Awith the needles of the instep group preceding the lastinstep needle to knit prior to the rst course of the heel or toe, said few sinkers'having shorter butts'lwhich are long'enough to engage the lower casting 01T and oppercams but are toorshort to engagetheuppercasting oi andiiopper camz. Y v

A6.1 In a knitting., machine having maint and lauxl`iliary knitting cams and' adapted to drawr one or more-yarnsover the backs of sinkers: toknit at;

saidauxiliary cams, al fixed sinker cam cap having on the auxiliary side a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers which consistsof two sides converging substantially to a point, a, center sinker cam at the main side, two xed casting oif cams symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said main center sinker cam and two flopper cams also symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of said center sinker cam, one of said flopper cams being'below the correspondin gcasting off cam and the other above its corresponding casting oil cam and means for automati'cally moving into operating position the flopper cam which is ahead of said main center sinker cam with reference to the direction of knitting.'

7. In a knitting machine adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers, a fixed sinker camcap having a center sinker cam for Vdrawing outsinkers which consists of two sides converging substantially to a point, a knitting cam block having a pointed center guard cam the point of which is in the same vertical plane as the point of said center sinker cam.

8. In a knitting machine adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers, a xed sinker cam capI having a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers consisting of two sides converging substantially to a point, a side sinker cam on 'either side thereof for causing sinkers to move in immediately after they have been drawn outl by said center sinkingV cam, a knitting cam block provided with a iixed sinker guard cam also having sides convergingv substantially to a point,` said point of said center guard cam being in the same vertical plane as the point of said center sinker cam so that any needles which are loweredl by said center guard cam pass under its point coincidentally with full retraction of sinkers by said center sinker cam.

9. A sinker assembly for a knitting machine which includes a rotatableA sinker head and a xed sinker cam cap, a ilopper cam pivoted on the cap and means actuated by the sinker head for automatically moving the opper cam into operating position.'

10. A'sinker assembly for a knitting machine whichvincludes a rotatable sinker head and a xed sinker cam cap having a pivoted flopper cam, and means frictionally engaging said sinker head-for operating said flopper cam.

11. A sinker head fora knitting machine which includes a sinker cam cap and two pivoted, oppositely directed flopper cams, means actuated by the sinker head for moving one of said opper cams into operating position at the beginning of knitting inv one direction and for moving the other iioppencam into knitting position at the beginning of knitting in the other direction.

l2.- A sinker headvfor a knitting machine which includes a sinker cam cap and two pivoted, oppositely directed opper cams, means actuated by the sinkerf head for moving one of said iiopper cams into operating position at the beginning of knitting -in one direction and for moving the other opper' c am into knitting position at the beginning of knitting in the other direction, each ofsaid opper camsrbeing released when the other is so moved.

13. v-A sinker Vhead according to claim 9 in whichY thesinker cam cap is provided with resilient means for moving the flopper cam out of operating positionf l j 14s-In ay knittingmachine of the type -having f, a rotaryneed-le cylinder and arranged forr'eciprocatory knitting and which is also adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers, a fixed sinker cam cap having a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers for the purpose of transferring loops from the backs to the throats of said sinkers, said sinker cam consisting of two sides converging substantially to a point and a side sinker cam on either side of said center sinker cam for causing sinkers to move in immediately after they have been drawn out by said center sinker cam.

15. In a knitting machine adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers, a sinker cam cap having a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers, the two sides of said cam converging substantially to a point and a side sinker cam on either side thereof for causing sinkers to move in immediately after they have been drawn out by said center sinker cam, a cam block below said sinker cam cap, stitch cams upon said cam block including a horizontally pivoted center guard cam adapted to swing in the direction of knitting to lower needles to a level from which they can pass down the stitch cam under which they knit, said swinging guard cam being retractable and when in operating position enveloping a fixed center guard cam which when said swinging center guard cam is retracted becomes operative to lower needles but not enough to cause them to engage and pass under a knitting cam.

16. In a knitting machine adapted to draw one or more yarns over the backs of sinkers, a center cam cap having a center sinker cam for drawing out sinkers, the two sides of said cam converging substantially to a point and a side sinker cam on either side thereof for causing sinkers to move in immediately after they have been drawn out by said center sinking cam, a cam block, stitch cams upon said cam block including a retractable center guard cam adapted to lower needles to a level from which they can pass down the stitch cam under which they knit, a xed center guard cam enveloped by said retractable cam when the latter is in operating position and which becomes operative to lower needles ibut not enough to cause them to engage and pass under a knitting cam when said retractable cam is retracted.

OSCAR FREGEOLLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,178,911 Lawson Nov. 17, 1939 2,360,668 Fregeolle Oct. 17, 1944 2,369,781 Green Feb. 20, 1945 2,374,532 Fregeolle Apr. 24, 1945 2,310,070 Fregeolle Feb. 2, 1943 1,457,903 Gagne June 5, 1923 1,483,904 Miller Feb. 19, 1924 2,374,857 Fregeolle May 1, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 320,392 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1929 Certicate of Correction Patent No. 2,427,720. September 23, 1947.

OSCAR FREGEOLLE It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 4, line 3, after the Word right insert of; column 7, line 25, claim 4, strike out 0E cams symmetrically positioned on opposite and insert instead on the auxiliary side a center snlcer cam for; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case n the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of November, A. D. 1948.

[BE-AL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

